Usually, by the time we get to the end of Caylus it doesn’t feel like a victory lap. After three hours arguing about stone cubes, hoarding resources, and putting down workers, it feels more like an audit. The game is done. It is time to see if any of that work turned into point. Enter … Read more

At some point Keythedral goes from the art of creation to the mathematics of it all. Before this shift, you’ve spent time moving your workers around, bidding for who goes next, building fences, and more. Your cathedral might appear wonderful, a sure win. Looks can be deceiving. In this game, many folks think they has … Read more

It’s not enough to guess strategicaly at what needs doing in the final few minutes of a Snowdonia session; those last few minutes deserve careful record-keeping. You’ve set up your surveyor, cleared out the route, picked up some contract cards you think will score well. Add them all together and you realise that you don’t … Read more

In most board games, a supply eventually runs out, or a player hits some kind of point threshold and that’s it, game over. In Village, somebody dies, and that’s what ends the game. That shift in perspective alter your strategy on every single turn. It’s no longer about simply accumulating points; it’s about managing risk. … Read more

After a round, Fresco’s board appears tidy; however, your scorecard is rarely legible. You’ve bought some paints, placed that pesky bishop, and replaced several tiles, but reading your points doesn’t becomes easy until the final tally. Having an actual scoring device makes sense here, as it explains exactly what caused you to gain/lose points. After … Read more

New York Zoo can be a stressful game during those last few laps. You realize that your board has more fractured spaces instead of a carefully selected set of enclosures. Attraction tiles aren’t going anywhere. Animals is sitting in their houses. Your enclosures are everywhere. The calculator can shows you how much of your board … Read more

Step into fifth income turn in Tapestry, and suddenly it’s quiet in there. Cards get set down. Players breathe out. It’s time to do the real work. This game isn’t quite as simple as adding up a grocery list; it’s more like auditing books at a complicated business. For five eras, multiple systems was running … Read more